Wheel



(No Model.)

B. H. GEDGE.

WHEEL.

Patented Sept. 1.1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE.

BURTON H. GEDGE, F ANDERSON, INDIANA.

W H E E L SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,573, dated September 1,1891.

Application filed February 26, 1891. Serial No. 382,850. (No model.)

T0 all whom. t may concern:

Be it known that I, BURTON H. GEDGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Anderson, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in XVheels, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of my invention and the advantages arising from the conjoint or separate use of the several features of the same will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, and to which reference is hereby made, Figure l is a view in perspective of a wheel illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical diametrical section of said wheel,but showing an axle-box in the hub instead of the spindle shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the blank after being cut in accordance with my invention and before being bent to form the spokes and hubrings. Fig. 4. is a view ot' a pipe cut according to my-invention before being bent to form the spokes and hubrings; and Fig. is a vertical transverse section of a hub, hub-rings, caps, and spokes, only portions of the latter being shown.

In making the spokes and hub-rings according to the preferred form-viz., that shown in Fig. l-I take a flat blank A or sheet of metal, and by means of cutting-dies tirst cnt the blank, as shown in Fig. 3. The blank thus cut consists of the several strips B, separated by the alternate intervening openings C. All of the strips at one end join the terminal cross-piece D, and at the other end of the strips is another terminal cross-piece D. The strips B and terminal strips D, being cnt from one blank, are in one piece. Each terminal strip D is now bent up and around into the form of a ring and the ends D D thereof lapped over each other and riveted together by a rivet passed through the holes D2 D2 of the strip. The strips D and longitudinal strips E will now have assumed a tubular form. The ends of this tubular structure are now pressed toward one another, the stripsB being bent outward from the axis of said tubular structure. rlhis last-named operation is continued until the structure has assumed the shape shown in Fig. l-that is to say, each E. Each strip B is at its apex riveted or otherwise suitably secu red to the rim H of the wheel. This rim will usually be of metal, and may constitute the tread of the wheel. Vhen desired, a felly may be colnbined with the strips B and the rim I-I. Insuch event a desirable mode of eecting such combination is by locating the felly G within and at the apex of each of the strips and securing together the felly and rim and strips B at a given point by a common bolt or rivet J. The apex of cach of the strips B is preferably somewhat ilattened or truncated, as shown, thereby forming a broad support in a lateral direction for the rim H. This recess thus formed at the apex of the strip is a con venient place for the location of the felly. The hub-rings E E are passed onto a cylindrical hub and are then drawn apart until the strips (spokes) B are straightened and drawn taut, when the rings are secured in position by suitable means. The hub Will, among other reasons, on accountof economy of manufacture, preferably be made of Wood. In such case a simple and desirablemode of connecting the rim to the hub will be by spiking, nailing, or screwing the rings D to the hub H bypassing the spikes, nails, or screws through the holes DS of the rings E and into the hub. It may be here remarked that the said holes D3 may, and usually will, be punched in the rings E when the saine are flat strips D of the blank A, and at the same time that the openings C, dac., are cut in the blank.

In many instances, as in the case of wheel; barrows, duc., the hub M will be provided with ICO the letter P. rlhis figure also shows the axle R therein.

A more expensive yet feasible mode of constructing the strips B and hubrings E consists as follows: A metallic tube, preferably common gas-pipe, of the desired length, is taken and longitudinal slots or openings C are cut therein, thus forming the strips B and leaving at each end a ring E. The rings E are then approximated and the strips B bent out into substantially the form shownin Fig. 1. On the ends of the tubular structure of Fig. 4 may be cut or otherwise formed the screw threads D4. These may be formed either before the slits C are made or at any subsequent stage of manufacture prior to the time when the rings E, after being placed on the hub, are to be drawn apart. After the rings are on the hub the rings are drawn as far apart as they can well be by hand. The

' outer edge of each ring will now have reached the adjacent end of the hub M. The caps F are now screwed onto the rings E, and as the head of each cap bears against the adjacent end of the hub the rings are thus forcibly drawn apart, and until the outer edges of each ring bear against the head of the adjacent cap. Such a device affords a novel and convenient means for separating the hubrings and tightening the strips B and securely and permanently holding the hubrings apart.

My invention is veryeasyof manufacture and economical of cost. The construction it provides `is an exceedingly simple and durable one. It imparts great strength to the wheel into whose construction itenters. Of course in case other spokes not integral with the said rings are interposed between the said spokes B this will not do away with the value of that portion of the spokes and hubrings which are integral according to my invention, as the latter will naturally be the strongest part of the spoke-frame, and will be the main and best connection between the hub and the peripheral portion of the wheel.

While the various features of my invention are preferably employed together, one or more of the said features may be employed without the remainder, and in so far as applica-- ble one or more of said features may be used in connection with wheels other than the one herein specifically described.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-` l. A wheel having its spokes and hub-rings integral and made from a blank having the strips B and intervening spaces C and termi nal cross-strips D, substantially as and for' the purposes specified.

2. The process of forming the spokes and hub-rings of a wheel, consisting in taking a blank sheet and forming the longitudinal openings C therein and the strips B and crossstrips D, and bending the same into a tubular structure, and securing the same in that form, and then approximating the end rings E and bending out the strips B, causing the latter to be bent at their mid-length, and securing the strips at the latter point to the peripheral or outer part of the wheel and the rings Eto the hub, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. A wheel having its hub-rings and spokes integral, every two spokes from opposite hubrings being integrally united at their apex and there united to the peripheral portion of the wheel, substantially as and for the pur poses specified. v

4. A wheel having its hub-rings and spokes integral and made from a tube or tubular structure, slits C being formed therein and terminal rings being present, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. A wheel having the spokes B and the hub-rings integral, opposite spokes from the hub-rings meeting at an apex and there riveted or otherwise secured to the peripheral portion of the wheel, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. A wheel having the spokes B and the hubrin gs integral, opposite spokes from the spokes meeting the peripheral portion of the wheel and there bent horizontally, thereby forming between them a flat portion meeting the peripheral portion of the wheel and secured to the latter, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. In a wheel, the hub-rings E and spokes B, integral therewith and secured to the peripheral portion of the wheel, and the hub M, on which are the rings E, the latter having the screw-thread DA1 and the screw-caps F respectively united to the respective rings E, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

BURTON H. GEDGE.

Attest:

WM. E. JONES, K. SMITH. 

